OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™, talks with filmmakers and celebrities at the 26th annual Boston LGBT Film Fest. Russian born Director Evgeny Afineevsky’s debut feature film "Oy Vey! My Son isGay", a romantic comedy about a Jewish mother who discovers that her son is gay, received rave reviews. It stars comedic actress Lainie Kazan (“Ugly Betty”, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, and “Beaches”), Hollywood iconic writer and actor Bruce Vilanch, the fabulous Carmen Electra, and Queer Eye’s Jai Rodriguez. Director Afineevsky and star Bruce Vilanch were in attendance. We talked with Bruce Vilanch to get his political spin about the making of the movie and more. Breaking records at film festivals internationally, next month “Oy Vey! My Son is Gay”, will be one of the first gay films ever screened in Moscow where merely participating in gay pride celebrations can lead to being arrested and assaulted. We also caught up with Director J.C. Calciano whose film “Is It Just Me?” takes us on a romantic comedic theme in the classic scenario to see if brains wins over beauty. The film stars Nicolas Downs, David Loren and Adam Huss. In this exclusive audio interview Calciano explains his movie is just about love. “Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride” which opened the festival is Director Bob Christie’s moving documentary about Gay Pride marches and festivals happening all over the world, sometimes under heavy opposition and violence. This feature length documentary follows the Vancouver Pride Society’s (VPS) Parade Director Ken Coolen and his VPS colleagues as they travel to places where Pride is still steeped in protest to personally experience the rampant homophobia that still exists. What occurred in Moscow a few short years ago really makes you think about how far we have advanced in North America. They also travel to Sao Paulo Brazil for the world’s largest gay parade and to New York City, the birthplace of the modern gay liberation movement after the Stonewall Riots of 1969. Boston LGBT Film Fest was founded 26 years ago by film programmer George Mansour who shared with us his experiences of what it was like to be gay in the mid-twentieth century to present day. We had an interesting conversation discussing LGBT civil rights and agendas joined by Aliza Shapiro who curates the festival program “The Experiment”, which is a delicious mix of subversion, sexuality, and humorous films. For More Info: BostonLGBTfilmfest.org

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James Nadeau, Executive Director of the Boston LGBT Film Festival, which is celebrating its 26th year and runs through May 16th, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. This year in honor of the 40th anniversary of Boston Pride celebration the Boston LGBT Film Festival opened with Bob Christie's stunning documentary on Pride across the globe. “Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride.” Christie travels the world to places where simply declaring one’s LGBT sexuality is a political act that can incite violence and where Pride becomes an act of courage. This is a moving "Must-See" film. In this climate of bullying in our schools, the Festival also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Youth (BAGLY) with two films that speak of the struggles and complications of LGBTQ youth. “We Are the Mods” is director E.E. Cassidy’s award-winning tribute to the Mod fashions of the sixties and John Young’s powerful “Rivers Wash Over Me” moved audiences young and old, with its stunning cast and heart-wrenching tale of race, class and homophobia in the south. Wolfe, one of the first distributors of LGBT cinema is being honored with the first ever Community Award for the company’s amazing contribution to the cultural lives of the LGBT communities. Wolfe CEO Maria Lynn was on hand to accept this award and present their sensational new film “Contracorriente” (The Undertow). This award-winning film (Sundance Audience Award 2010) kicks off a special Festival focus on films from Latino/Latina filmmakers. This year’s Festival had two World Premieres. Award-winning director Stu Maddux's new documentary film “Gen Silent” explores the complications surrounding LGBT seniors so afraid of being subject to discrimination, or worse, in long-term/health care that many go back into the closet. “Beauty and Brains”, the gorgeous new documentary by Catherine Donaldson, explores the transgender community in Nepal and the use of beauty contests to spread awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS. There were over one hundred films being screened this year including the New England premiere of James Ivory’s latest film "The City of Your Final Destination" starring Laura Linney and Anthony Hopkins. When asked about the experience of attending the Boston LGBT Film Festival Nadeau stated, "People need this common experience. There's something about sitting in a dark theater watching your life experience in a roomful of people who are all gay. It's so transformational. It's phenomenal. People need to give themselves that, so come to the Festival." OUTTAKE MEDIA™ attended reviewing films and providing exclusive audio interviews with the filmmakers throughout the festival. Films were screened in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Fenway Community Health Center. In Cambridge films will be shown at the Brattle Theater. For More Info & Tix: BostonLGBTfilmfest.org

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Malcolm Lazin, Founder and Executive Director of Equality Forum talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. This is an important LGBT event that is dedicated to addressing our LGBT issues and concerns. The week-long national and international summit was held from Monday, April 26 to Sunday, May 2 in Philadelphia. There were lots of dances parties, entertainment and just basic fun events throughout the week. Africa is Equality Forum international focus this year. While the U.S. debates issues like same-gender marriage, nations like Uganda are considering the death penalty or life imprisonment for “anyone convicted of a homosexual act.” This year Equality Forum’s international focus explores LGBT rights and movement development in Africa. Panelists included Cary Alan Johnson, Executive Director, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and Pouline Kimani, Co-Founder, Minority Women in Action, Kenya. The US Senate has passed a resolution imploring Ugandan Members of Parliament to withdraw the Bill that would impose death on LGBT people.

When asked what would he like to see accomplished in the Obama administration for our LGBT civil rights in this country Lazin stated, “I think there’s a lot that needs to be done. Obviously ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) looks like it could be passed even within this calendar year and certainly the President using some of his chits in terms of particularly in the United States Senate, to make that happen. I think him getting behind the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act which is the reason why we do not receive one thousand, one hundred and thirty eight federal marital protections and benefits becomes important. I appreciate that one of those is hospital visitation, so we’re now down to one thousand, one hundred and thirty seven. So the easier way to do it is just repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and I think whether that gets accomplished during the first four years or if he’s re-elected, then the second four years, I do think that it will get accomplished because he’s certainly on record in terms of supporting the repeal of that act.” For More Info: equalityforum.com

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Dr. Dana Beyer, a well-known advocate for public health, coherent government and an activist for women’s and gender rights, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Currently Dr. Beyer is a candidate for Maryland State Delegate in District 18 in the upcoming elections. The federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is again being considered in Washington D.C. When asked what her feelings are about finally having a transgender inclusive bill being presented, Beyer stated, “This is something we worked for. Again it points out how the political process works. It doesn’t happen overnight. We didn’t get civil rights in 1964 overnight. That took over 300 years of American history and people fighting and dying until we got to that point. We moved a little faster on gay rights and we’ve moved a lot faster on trans rights…The vast majority of Americans that are covered today, I think we’re up to 41% of the population, have been covered in laws that were passed in the last decade. So we’ve made huge progress in the most aggressive administration in American history for the most part. So we’ve done a lot of good. We’ve had the (ENDA) battle in 2007, it was a worthwhile battle, it was very educational, it was hard to go through. Some of it was very painful. Some of the language was hurtful and cruel but we got through it. We’re going to get a bill, it will not be perfect. It will have some language that might be better not having in it. I would imagine as for the trans part of this bill goes, to the best of my knowledge and this is an ongoing issue, it hasn’t been marked up yet so I can’t say for sure, but there will be nothing in this bill that will make anyone’s life more difficult and it will for the most part improve the lives of the LGBT community.” Beyer is Vice President of Equality Maryland, former Executive Vice President of Maryland NOW, she's a founding member of Maryland’s Progressive Working Group and an HRC Governor. Dana recently co-authored The Dallas Principles. She is currently on leave from her post as Senior Adviser to Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg of the Montgomery County Council. She lives with her two sons in Chevy Chase, Maryland. For More Info: danabeyer.com

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Lee Swislow, Executive Director of the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™, about their case Gill v. Office of Personnel Management that challenges Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which is set for oral arguments May 6th. The case will be heard by U.S. District Judge Joseph L. Tauro in the Federal District Court in Boston. The plaintiffs are seven legally married Massachusetts gay couples and three surviving spouses who have been denied federal benefits under section 3 of DOMA. Section 3 states, for the purpose of federal benefits, marriage is defined as between a man and a woman. What GLAD is targeting is the exclusion of over eleven hundred federal rights, benefits and responsibilities for legally married gay couples. Swislow stated, “We feel this lawsuit it crucial because people are getting hurt. We’ve been hearing stories from hundreds of Massachusetts gay couples who have been hurt by their exclusion from federal benefits and we felt it was our duty to bring this suit forward and highlight for people throughout America the real harm that (legally married gay) couples face.” The real tragedy is LGBT seniors who are not receiving survival benefits and are devastated by not having social security benefits. One of the plaintiffs is Dean Hara, the widower of former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, who was the first openly gay member of the House of Representatives. Hara has been denied any portion of Studds' $114,000 pension after the Democratic Congressman died in 2006. The two married in 2004 after being together for 14 years. "I am not being treated the same as any other surviving spouse of any other federal employee or public servant who has served this country for 27 years, though we were legally married." Hara stated. For More Info: GLAD.org

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Jarrett Barrios, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a way of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. At the upcoming L.A. GLAAD Media Awards on April 17th Constance McMillen the gay student that was not allowed to bring her girlfriend to the Prom in the Mississippi Prom-gate will be presenting the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to Wanda Sykes. This award is given to an openly gay member of the entertainment or media community for his or her work toward eliminating homophobia. LGBTQ teens are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. When asked about the current climate of bullying and homophobia in our schools Barrios stated, “You can certainly legislate aspired-to behaviors but you can’t legislate fairness. You can’t legislate the way people treat their lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender families, friends and neighbors. What gets people to change their minds is seeing (LGBT) people in the community and understanding them as siblings, as neighbors, as friends and understanding the barriers they face. The aspirations we have are exacting what everyone else wants out of life. To be accepted, respected and understood for the work that we do in our community. That’s not something unfortunately which everyone agrees with or everyone appreciates. The visibility that we try to promote with the GLAAD Media Awards is really about holding out those best examples of our visibility in entertainment, in media, so we can encourage other outlets like newspaper cover stories, visual media, television, movies to continue pushing forward with these sort of images and raising the bar because these images are transforming America and making it easier for the Constances of the world who want to go to the prom because classmates and parents will have a better understanding of who we are. Not that we’re the antithesis of America, we are in fact the heart of what the American experiment was about in the very beginning. ‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness’, that’s our goal.” Barrios also commended Ricky Martin for coming out which provides a positive role model for LGBT youth. In addition to Wanda Sykes, Drew Barrymore will be honored with the Vanguard Award. Singer Adam Lambert will perform and cast members of Glee are scheduled to attend the Los Angeles ceremony. The San Francisco GLAAD Media Awards are on June 5. Here Media will be televising the edited version of the events combined with the New York GLAAD Awards that we covered on the Red Carpet last month. For More Info & Tix: glaad.org

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Alex Lucchesi, Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of SpeakOUT talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. SpeakOUT works to create a world free of LGBT homophobia and other forms of prejudice by telling the truths of people’s lives. This is accomplished by conducting educational programs about the lives and issues of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. In completion of a short two day program, members of our LGBT community are trained to use public speaking as a means of creating positive cultural change. SpeakOUT believes that sharing our lives and experiences publicly educates communities about issues that are dividing us. In engaging audiences in honest dialogue and in keeping with their motto "Ask Us Anything," SpeakOUT invites any questions that may challenge harmful stereotypes and misconceptions. Every year, SpeakOUT volunteers conduct informal, interactive speaking engagements in hundreds of settings, including high schools, colleges, businesses, government agencies, churches, synagogues, youth groups and community service organizations of all kinds. When asked what questions people have about gay marriage and LGBT equality, Lucchesi stated, “Very often I get asked why civil unions aren’t enough. My answer to that is simple. I was married to a woman for ten years and I loved that woman and she was my best friend and if there was a woman in the world for me it was her. But that was not a true marriage and if I am going to find a man with whom I fall in love and share my life that will be a true marriage. So I don’t think I should settle for separate but equal.” The unique program offers youth and adults an intensive two-day preparation for conducting speaking engagements. In the past, SpeakOUT has trained members of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth (BAGLY), Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, and many other organizations. The next speaker training session is April 10th & 11th, 8:30am - 5:00pm Lasell College, Newton, MA. SpeakOUT also provides resources and information for national and global organizations. For More Info: SpeakOUTboston.org

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Robin McGehee, Co-Chair of GETEqual, who was arrested with gay activists Lt Dan Choi and Captain Jim Pietrangelo in front of the White House in protest of the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the arrest and LGBT civil rights in 2010. The incident began when Choi asked to speak at the Human Rights Campaign rally and was turned down. The crowd then followed them tothe White House where Choi spoke out against DADT and then he and Pietrangelo in an act of civil disobedience were handcuffed to the White House fence by McGehee and arrested.

A trial is set for April 26th. When asked what they hope to accomplish McGehee stated, “Our biggest thing is highlighting the injustices out there. As a social movement we’ve had Stonewall and Act-Up as our fighting back mentality, highlighting the injustices and then having social change around those issues. But the reality is our movement as a whole has not applied nonviolent disobedience to the full federal equality message and that’s really where we are. Kip Williams and I are in the next step after the National Equality March. It’s to say, "Look we brought hundreds of thousands of people to Washington D.C. to march on the mall. We’ve done our statewide rallies. We’ve lobbied. We’ve written letters. We’ve phone banked. Now the only thing we know to do is create our lunch counter moment like other social movements before us and really highlight the injustice and give visual imagery to ways we are discriminated against and not only in a proactive way. So, for example in “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”, that would be a proactive message to a plan, a strategy and then to provide visual imagery that is highlighting injustice in a reactive way.”

For more Info: GETEqual.org

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Celebrities on the Red Carpet at the 21st GLAAD Media Awards in NYC talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Gay Activist and Actress Cynthia Nixon (Sex in the City) received the Vito Russo Award. Gay Ally Joy Behar (The View, The Joy Behar Show) accepted the Excellence in Media Award. When asked about their personal commitment to LGBT civil rights Nixon said, “We’re going to keep going until we have marriage equality in every one of the fifty states. I am frustrated with the Obama administration but I am gratified that he has finally sounded a battle cry on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. Now it’s time to move on the “Defense of Marriage Act.” It’s time to repeal that.” Behar added, “Well my commitment to any civil rights is that we need to have equality across the board in this country. It’s an absolute disgrace when you don’t have equality across the board, whether it’s about an ethnic group or a particular race or a gender issue, it’s outrageous. So I just think you know my whole shtick is equality for everyone. It’s nice to get this Award to see that people are acknowledging that I do something for this world, whatever it is.” Gay Ally and Actress Sigourney Weaver (Avatar) accepted the award for Outstanding TV Movie “Prayers for Bobby” (Lifetime) in which she starred and was joined by the movie’s Producers and Gay Activists Daniel Sladek and Chris Taaffe. They were all very outspoken about their commitment to LGBT equality. Gay Allies Jill Zarin (The Real Housewives of New York City) and Fashion Photographer Nigel Barker (America's Next Top Model) also voiced their heterosexual pro-gay perspectives. Gay Activists and Actors Sandra Bernhard, Sarah Paulson, Bryan Batt (Mad Men) and Oscar Winning Writer Dustin Lance Black (Milk) were also passionately vocal about LGBT equality. Additional GLAAD Media Awards will be announced during events in Los Angeles on April 17 where GLAAD will honor Drew Barrymore and Wanda Sykes as well as in San Francisco on June 5. For More Info & Tix: glaad.org

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Dalila Ali Rajah, Co-Creator, Executive Producer and one of the hosts of “Cherry Bomb” now on Shewired.com talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. Each week Dalila Ali Rajah, Tatum De Roeck, Gloria Bigelow and Nikki Caster chat with various “celesbian” guests, who take the hot seat between the four beautiful yet hard-hitting hosts. No questions are off-limits and no subject is taboo. Additionally, the individual hosts branch out and present unique segments featuring viewer videos, hot trends, pop culture news, and hilarious commentary. The SheWired.com audience will return again and again for "Cherry Bomb’s" outrageous and entertaining view on current events. When asked what her personal commitment was to LGBT civil rights Dalila stated, “Clearly I want equality. I try and do my best to use my talents and skills to the best of my ability to help make change and shift things. Civil rights and equality are important to me. So I’ve always been one of those people that takes the time to actually use challenging moments as teachable moments. Whereas I’ve found a lot of people, just are like “Oh that’s ignorant. I’m not going to address that.” I actually take the time to explain what’s going on and the reason why something is ignorant or the reason why something doesn’t work or something is prejudice. In particular with LGBT issues. I’ve had this issue around civil rights for Afro-Americans as well…I think the additional thing with LGBT rights is also coupled with religious beliefs and there’s a need for people who are willing to have the conversation. Not from a place where your religious beliefs are wrong because that invalidates their belief system, which for someone who really believes in their own spiritual base, that’s really important to them. It’s fundamentally who they are. So just having a discussion with them from the place where you’re invalid isn’t going to get anybody anywhere. There’s a need for people willing to have the discussion not from disrespecting someone’s religion, whether or not I agree with it, but from a place that even with your religion and your views, my civil rights are important and this is why it’s actually important to you that I have them. Because actually it will serve you that I have them, not just me" To help promote “Cherry Bomb’s” new home on SheWired.com, the women will travel to this year’s The Dinah Weekend, presented by Club Skirts and being held March 31–April 4 in Palm Springs, Calif. "Cherry Bomb" will tape shows in front of a live audience in The Dinah’s SheWired Lounge and host meet-and-greets with thousands of adoring fans. For More Info: shewired.com For More Info: CherryBombTV.com

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